I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

Stitch Printables

In addition to these Stitch Fun articles, you can also find Stitch Printables available in the Needle ‘n Thread Shop. The printables cover more intricate aspects of certain stitches and stitch types. Topics that are not normally found in stitch dictionaries – like taking corners neatly, or working curves, varying tension and stitch size with different types of threads – are covered in the Printables. Each Stitch Play Printable is packed with step-by-step photos and diagrams, and hints and tips that will help make these more intricate stitches easy to master. The Printables are delivered in PDF format via a download link in your e-mail, so you can get started with them the same day you purchase them.

Right now, you can find the following Printables available in the online shop:

(40) Comments

Mary, in the couple of years that I’ve been following your blog I have so very much appreciated your demonstrations and explanations of the embroidery stitches and techniques.
There isn’t a book anywhere that can outdo you!
Marlon

I hope you are well? thanks so much for putting all the stitch play blogs in one place it makes it so much easier to browse through them. I can’t wait for more surprises from you in the stitch play series.

Mary, I agree with another comment..there is no one who beats you when it comes to stitch tutorials! I would absolutely LOVE a DVD with all of your stitch tutorials so I wouldn’t have to run to my computer (no laptop) to see the stitches when I am in the middle of stitching. Is that going to be a possibility?
Also, your Marian Medallion project is stunning. I am sure Our Lady is so pleased during her month of May!

I really love the Guilloche Stitch you showed today and I have a couple of questions.1-How would you take a corner with this stitch as if to frame a sampler and 2-would 18 count aeida (sp) cloth work for making a sampler of all the stitches in this series on stitch play?

I wish these had thumbnails so I could browse instead of having to click each one. I’ve opened all of them and none of them are what I was after, but I’m not familiar with names of stitches so I can’t just search for what I want by name. Think about a thumbnail view for your stitch guides please!!

Hi, Pat – If you’d like, you can work through the series and just work a random sampler. For example, if you look at this post: https://www.needlenthread.com/2012/07/on-random-stitch-samplers.html you can see the development of a random stitch sampler, where I was just playing with various embroidery stitches and techniques (for the stitch videos, actually!). Part of the fun is working out different techniques or stitches without an actual plan. This serves a couple useful purposes, even though it seems like totally useless stitching. For one thing, it familiarizes the embroiderer with many stitches, and breaks through the limited-stitch-repertoire. It shows you how stitches can be manipulated, and gives you an idea of how they can be worked into regular surface embroidery projects that might only call for a limited number of stitches, but – with an expanded repertoire – you can make substitutions or add special stitches that are often overlooked in standard embroidery projects. For another thing, it helps the beginner in surface embroidery get comfortable with the whole notion of the stitch, including how to follow stitch directions, how to troubleshoot any difficulties with a particular stitch, and so forth – and this tends to build confidence in stitchery in general (at least, this is what I noticed with my own students). So, I’d just start with fabric and thread and go from there. If you want to work a specific pattern, you can always use the jumble pattern, but a pattern isn’t really essential. Hope that helps! ~MC

Love the red thread on top of the random sampler. I doodle a lot in pencil,and this, oddly enough, is the exact type of style to my doodling. Now I can add color and thread!
Thanx for the inspiration. I luv your site.

Dear Mary
I love all technics from your embroidery and I have to learn, all technics wonderful and at the moment I doing a table-cloth Hungary style and to me must some day after I finished and I send photo It is syle not origin. I like to buy your embroidery book but I am very poor retired and I see the nice picture U think my hear be broken
I doing every miracle in the world but not enough my money
whit my love Elisabeth from Hungary

I am a beginnter and i love ytorials and look forward to receiving your emails the rose is so beautiful one day i will be able to do beautiful work like yours i have been cross stitching also learning. hardanger never tried goldwork but you are inspirational so will give it a go. thanks

I appreciate your profound interest in this hobby. Its not an easy task to present tutorials so perfectly. your tutorials are superb and best of all i ever seen
I wish I can learn at least one project as perfect as yours…

Mary, I love the description “boingy”. Makes me feel like you are one of us. I just wish my embroidery was as good as yours. Mine’s nice but your’s is exceptional. When did you start and do you ever go a day without stitching.

Hi Mary, I am just learning embroidery. I have a long term goal.. to make a victorian crazy quilt with family clothing. I also have a 11yr old
grandaughter who loves crafts with me. I have a difficult time looking at books and then doing the stitch; watching videos is easier for me. I cannot find anything on restarting a buttonhole wheel stitch. I needed to rethread halfway through the wheel. Any suggestions? Thank you for listening. Ann

Hi I know a little bit of embroidery and recently m thinking of pursuing to learn more of it. So while googling I found your amazing website. Thanks for such lovely articles on this topic. I want to buy a book too. Hence I read all the reviews you posted up. I have a question. I want a book which will teach me more complex stitches like the guilloche , lattice stitch and many others you mention in this stitch fun page. Does a book like stitch sampler explain such complex stitches ? Please suggest.

Silk gauze background is certainly different.. and do you use a Dazor magnifier floor lamp? Your articles here and your instructions on stitches are helpful. The present national environment requires the counterbalance of some soothing task and I find that in renewing my interest in embroidery and working little exercises…. as well as quilting.
Thanks .

I bought one of the Hardwicke Manor hoops and I love it. My question is, have you, or, any of your readers ever had a problem with stripping the hoop screw? I’ve had it less than a year, and I replaced the screw once already, but I figure I’ll need to put in a another new one, before I begin my next project.